Ajax Face Crucial Test Against In-Form Sparta Rotterdam
The Eredivisie leaders, Ajax, will look to bounce back from last weekend’s heavy loss when they host Sparta Rotterdam at the Johan Cruijff ArenA on Sunday afternoon. According to Sports Mole, the hosts have been excellent this season and are the front-runners in the race for the league title, but they will face one of the most in-form teams in the top flight.
A 4-0 defeat to Utrecht last week brought an end to Ajax’s 14-match unbeaten run in the top flight, and it was also their biggest margin of defeat in the Eredivisie since they lost 6-0 to Feyenoord at the start of May last year. However, history suggests that Ajax should fare better in this match, as they are unbeaten in their last 17 league games against Sparta Rotterdam, and won the reverse fixture 2-0 back in December. The Johan Cruijff ArenA has been a fortress this season, with Ajax having won 12 of their 14 matches on home soil.
Meanwhile, Sparta Rotterdam have been the most improved team in the Eredivisie over the last couple of months. At the halfway point of the season, they looked likely to struggle to avoid relegation, but under the management of Maurice Steijn, they have turned their season around. Over the last five gameweeks, only PSV and Feyenoord have earned more points than Sparta Rotterdam.
The visitors have also improved on the road of late, taking seven points from their last five away games. If they avoid defeat this weekend, it would mark the first time they have gone three away games without a loss since their first three league outings of the season. As Sports Mole reports, Sparta Rotterdam’s recent form has been impressive, and they will look to cause an upset against the league leaders.
In terms of team news, Ajax will have to make do without the services of Jordan Henderson this weekend, with the Englishman forced to serve a one-match ban after receiving his fifth yellow card of the season last week against Utrecht. The hosts will also be missing at least three players due to injury, including Youri Baas, Branco van den Boomen, and long-term absentee Amourricho Van Axel-Dongen.
For Sparta Rotterdam, Shunsuke Mito was left out of the squad for their victory against Heerenveen last week due to an unspecified injury, and it is unclear if the Japanese forward will be available for this match. Jonathan de Guzman, who is set to retire at the end of the campaign, returned to the bench last week but was an unused substitute, and he is unlikely to get into the starting lineup.
In their possible starting lineups, Sports Mole predicts that Ajax will start with Lima; Gaaei, Sutalo, Kaplan, Hato; Klaassen, Mokio, Taylor; Godts, Brobbey, Berghuis, while Sparta Rotterdam may start with Olij; Bakari, Young, Eerdhuijzen, Van Aanholt; Hlynsson, Zechiel, Eiting; Van Bergen, Lauritsen, Ideho.
Sports Mole predicts that Ajax will win this match 2-1, citing their impressive home form this season. While Sparta Rotterdam have been in excellent form of late, Ajax’s home record and history against their opponents make them the favourites to win this match. As Sports Mole concludes, “Ajax have been incredible on their home patch all season, and we feel the hosts will add another win to their exceptional record this weekend.”
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